


Better with Two

by hellostarlight20



Series: Prompts [29]
Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Canon, F/M, Friendship, slight romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-25
Updated: 2016-06-25
Packaged: 2018-07-18 04:29:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 742
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7299616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hellostarlight20/pseuds/hellostarlight20
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Doctor watches over her dreams</p>
            </blockquote>





	Better with Two

**Author's Note:**

> @zoebelle9 asked: Hello! For the mini fic, Nine X Rose and B please? B. Under cover of darkness.
> 
> I wanted a follow-up to [_Take Two_](http://archiveofourown.org/works/6932152). The story had radically different ideas.

He watched over her.

The TARDIS settled around them for the night, and while he didn’t need sleep, he sat in her room, in a far plusher chair than he deserved, and guarded her dreams. He couldn’t keep the nightmares at bay, not as he wished to. The Doctor guarded over her nonetheless.

Guarded her from the burning rays of Earth’s dying sun. From the ghostly blue of the Gelth as they threatened her and the history she knew. From today’s gun-wielding madman who held her hostage while trying to take over the village they visited for their annual spring festival.

What was supposed to be a day of laughter and calmness, of good food and beautiful arts, ended with Rose being taken hostage. Rose had clocked the man but good—it still didn’t ease his conscious, his fear, his terror for her.

Even as his hearts pounded and his repertory bypass engaged and he did his best (and failed) to remain calm, the Doctor tried to distract the man. He didn’t care about his politics or his grievances or his reasons for disrupting the festival. All he cared about was getting Rose away from the gun waving around her head.

She looked at him, those beautiful brandy-colored eyes scared but calm. And when the Doctor finally succeeded in taking the man’s attention off Rose, she elbowed him in the jaw then whirled to land a very solid punch.

Even now, hours later—after the village sheriff arrested the man, after the village elders promised to listen to his problems and get him whatever help he needed and the festival continued if far more subdued than before—the Doctor couldn’t stop replaying the image of that gun pressed to Rose’s temple.

“What’s wrong?”

Her question startled him. He straightened jerkily and looked at her. The darkness of her bedroom was no match for his advanced eyesight and the Doctor watched her comb her fingers through her hair, blink to clear her vision.

“Watching over you,” the Doctor admitted.

He hadn’t wanted to admit anything. Hadn’t thought she’d wake and find him here. Lurking. Should have said anything else—checking the environmentals, fixing a leaky pipe. Anything but the truth. It came tumbling out despite his desires. Or maybe because of them.

“In the TARIDS?” Rose asked. Her voice was thick with sleep but her laughter came clearly through. “I thought you said your ship was perfectly safe.”

“You almost died today, Rose.” He said it harsher than he intended.

Rose stilled. “I know.” Her voice was even, somber, quiet. “But I didn’t. We worked together—you distracted him and I hit him.” In the darkness, she tilted her head and bit her lip. “I’ve never actually hit anyone before. Mickey taught me how to throw a punch, protect myself. I’ve never hit someone on purpose.”

“I’m sorry.” The Doctor cleared his throat. “You shouldn’t have had to.”

“Doctor.” She climbed from bed, the sheets a faint rustle in the room. “Did you tell that guy to attack me?”

“What?” He snorted. “No, course not.”

“Did you tell him to wave a gun around and hold me hostage?”

“Rose—”

“Well then.” She took his hand, and he’d never felt so large, so clumsy, so lumbering as right then. Rose knelt before him, a graceful, fluid movement, and caught his gaze. “It’s not your fault.”

“How can you say that?” He demanded. It came out far softer than he intended.

“Because I believe in you.” Her fingers tightened over his, and the spark of skin-to-skin warmed a part of his soul that remained frozen since the Time War. “If I thought you purposely put me in danger, I’d never have agreed to travel with you. But you didn’t. You haven’t. You wouldn’t.

She waited for another moment, her heart beating faster now. Then she stood and kissed his cheek. Released his hand. “Better with two, eh?”

“Yeah.” The word caught in his throat. The Doctor settled back in the chair and smiled up at her. “Go back to sleep, Rose.”

“You’ll watch over me?” she asked. Was that a hint of vulnerability in her tone?

“All night,” he promised.

And while she settled back into bed, he settled in to do just that. Watch over her, under cover of darkness, on every planet they visited, any time frame they landed in. He’d watch over her for as long as she stayed with him.

Forever.


End file.
